Protection
by In Darkness Is Light
Summary: Rin doesn't approve of the way Kakashi protects her. KakaRin oneshot-ish . Please read and review.


AN: My first attempt at a Kakashi/Rin, so any criticism would be greately appreciated!

Disclaimer: I think it's pretty obvious that I do not own Naruto or its characters.

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It was late on a cold winter's night and Rin was walking back home from the hospital. Though just 13, she had already begun working there part-time and today had been an especially busy day. As she walked through what was considered one of the safer neighbourhoods in Konoha, she couldn't help but feel that there was someone watching her.

She decided to pick up her pace, but rested near a tree when she realized whose chakra signature her stalker possessed. Relieved, she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and spoke. "Stalking me again, are you Kakashi?"

A grunt in response was heard from the branch above her head. She shook her head and rolled her eyes at the boy. She knew that he had promised Obito to protect her and she had been flattered that he'd kept his word, but this was just ridiculous! "Go home Kakashi," she told the Jounin, giggling slightly at his over protectiveness. "I'm sure you have better things to do than stalk little girls."

Kakashi, from his position in the tree was about to give another grunt and nod in response, when he heard something rustling in the alleyway in front of them. Pulling out a kunai, he prepared to defend Rin from whomever it was lurking in the darkness. Jumping down from his position, he landed on his feet in front of her, kunai at the ready. Slowly, he advanced to the opening of the alleyway, Rin following behind him. "I promised I'd protect-"

He stopped speaking as he reached the entrance of the alleyway. Beneath the thin layer of snow that covered the ground, he failed to see the ice and slipped, landing unceremoniously on his back. Rin, who had jumped back in shock when he'd fallen, came up and kneeled over him. She gave him a look of utter amusement to which he responded with a glare – later turning to a look of pain - also taking the opportunity to finish his sentence. "-you."

As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Rin couldn't contain herself any longer. She burst into a fit of giggles, now standing up over him. "Oh Kakashi," she teased jokingly, clasping her hands together and putting them near one side of her face, "my hero."

Though she was laughing, he gave her a look that clearly told her he was not amused. After a few moments though, hints of a smirk were visible on his features and he rolled his eyes at her behaviour. Rin, finally calming down, held out a hand to help him up. "Let me help you up," she smiled at him.

He accepted her out stretched hand but when he pulled her up, she slipped and it was now her that had fallen backwards. Kakashi had managed to maintain an upright position and he smirked down at her, rolling his eyes yet again as she stuck out her tongue childishly. Holding an out stretched hand, he commented ever so smoothly, "No, let me help you up."

Rin narrowed her eyes at him out of mock annoyance but accepted his hand nevertheless. This time neither of them fell back to the ground and the two shared a silent moment, eyeing each other as if seeing each other for the first time.

Rin's cheeks held a rosy pink hue from the cold and the snow that she'd fallen into, glittered in the moonlight as pieces of it had found their way into her hair. Kakashi seemed to look no different, but he literally shimmered in the light as he'd been covered in snow. She smiled and he just stared but both were trying to ignore the feelings of warmth that were slowly building in the pit of their stomachs.

The pair was disrupted from their thoughts only when the rustling from behind the alleyway had returned. Immediately, Kakashi snapped out of his reverie and rapidly assumed a defensive position once more. Rin had been more shocked but obediently stood behind him, hoping that nothing would happen to either of them.

The culprit of the noise making revealed itself from the darkness, startling Rin – she let out a gasp - and having Kakashi respond by throwing a couple of kunai in his direction. Whoever this assailant was, he was very stealthy to not have been noticed for so long. That meant that he was most likely a shinobi. What if it was a fellow Konoha shinobi? What if it was a member of ANBU? What if it was an Earth-nin? What if it was a missing nin? What if it was a member of a criminal organization? What if it was – a cat?

The stray black ball of fur showed itself to them, purring as it crawled around Kakashi's legs. Rin laughed good-naturedly at the situation while Kakashi let out an aggravated breath, shooting the cat a death glare.

Being the animal lover as always, Rin picked up the small bundle of fur and cuddled it. "Oh look, here we have our little suspect. You really gave Kakashi-kun a scare, you know that?" she cooed at the kitten.

That was it; it was official. He no longer had any pride, it had been lost in this one night and whose fault was it? A cat's. "Put him down Rin, he might have rabies." He made a move to remove the kitten from her arms but the feline gave a menacing hiss and extracted her claws warningly.

"Oh don't worry," Rin continued to coo reassuringly, "I won't let mean old Kakashi here hurt you." The kitten seemed to relax after hearing those words but still eyed Kakashi dangerously.

"Come on," Rin continued speaking to the cat, "let's find you a safe place," and began walking away.

Kakashi remained still, unsure of whether to follow her or head home; his answer came when she looked back at him and questioned, "Are you coming?" to which he responded by catching up to her.

Rin decided to leave the animal at a shelter close by, and within minutes the cat's owner had been tracked down, glad to be reunited with her precious pet. The woman had been an obnoxious, make-up filled 30 year-old who cuddled and squished the kitten so much; Rin had almost begun to feel bad for it. She grimaced as the cat was once again rubbed against its owner's face and it's beady little eyes pleaded with Rin to take her back.

Rin met the cat's pleading eyes with a sympathetic look upon her face before exiting the shelter, Kakashi in tow. The two walked in the direction of Rin's house, glad to be gone from that woman's presence.

"Hey Kakashi?" Rin asked, breaking the silence.

"Hm?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For looking out for me, I guess."

"Hm."

"Just, Kakashi?"

"Hm?"

"If you're going to watch me on my walks home, just walk with me. Don't stalk me like some creeper in the trees."

"Some creeper in the trees?" he repeated, semi-offended at her choice of words.

"Mhm. You never know; I may just use those extra kunai I keep with me and accidentally target you. After all, I can never _really _know who's hiding up in those trees," she innocently hinted, smiling sweetly.

His eyes widened and he nodded, showing that he got the message.

Apparently he hadn't quite gotten it for the next night the two were seen walking together through the streets, Kakashi sporting a freshly acquired cut across his cheek, that looked suspiciously like it had been done via kunai. That same night, he smartly decided to never follow Rin through the trees again.

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AN: Alright guys, there it was! Did you like it? Dislike it? Let me know! I'm satisfied with the way the ending turned out but if you're not I have about three alternatives :P Please review! 


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